


Justice for All

by DRiver2U



Category: Veronica Mars (TV)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-23
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2018-10-09 17:16:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10417098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DRiver2U/pseuds/DRiver2U
Summary: Veronica Mars finds her way back to Neptune to attend Cliff's wedding. Along the way, she reunites with old friends.





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Veronica had taken the earliest flight leaving O'Hare so she could be in a lounge chair by noon. She'd flown into John Wayne Airport and rented a car to drive to Carlsbad. She had told no one she was going to be in California on Wednesday and Thursday. She felt guilty about her silence, but she craved two days of solitude all by herself. 

She'd left Neptune after her first year at Hearst. Her dad encouraged her to go to Stanford or Columbia, but she knew that wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to go to Northwestern, specifically to the Medill School of Journalism and work her way into the Medill Justice Project. Justice. It was what she believed in more than anything. Even more than love. 

Evanston and Chicago had become home since she left Neptune 10 years ago. People asked her how someone from California could stand to live with Chicago winters, but the cold and snow made her appreciate every season now. Chicagoans were practical people who enjoyed each month, each season and howled with joy during every warm summer day. They didn't take sunshine for granted. 

Chicago was a city with corruption, but she didn't know a city that wasn't. Even small towns had deals being made at coffee shops or at the public works garage. These weren't official meetings, but ideas formulated with a coffee cup in hand often made it to city council meetings. Chicago, Neptune, New York, they all had their own fair share of corruption. The secret to fighting it was to believe, really believe, in making a difference. Veronica's personal foundation was built on the opinion that she had to make her corner of the world as great as it could be. For the last several years, that corner was Chicago. 

Veronica rarely went back to Neptune. Over the years, she had flown her dad to Chicago when the Padres were playing the Cubs and for Thanksgiving. Usually, they'd meet at a resort in Mexico or Arizona for Christmas. She'd had enough therapy to realize she avoided Neptune and her past. It wasn't healthy, but she had plenty of other good things in her life to make up for that bit of avoidance behavior. She also knew one of the reasons she worked so hard for justice was to repent for the lives she felt she had ruined when she was just a teenager. 

She lived in a small condo in Lincoln Square and worked at least 12 hours a day. After finishing her degree, she was able to stay on with the organization as project coordinator. She evaluated cases, assigned them as necessary, and worked with students to uncover facts. She thrived on the pressure. 

She loved her neighborhood filled with young people and families. She even managed to learn to play the mandolin at the Old Town School of Folk Music. They offered lessons on Sunday mornings, and she rarely worked on Sundays, at least not at the office. Other than her days at Christmas with her dad, she didn't take vacations. What she did was important, she told herself. She was helping people, and those people didn't get to take vacations, so why should she? 

Nevertheless, she wanted to spend 2 days alone in California talking to no one, just recharging. She had not even told her dad she would be arriving on Wednesday. She wanted to go to the spa at The Cape, watch mindless TV, take naps, read the new Robert Galbraith novel, and listen to the waves. She would go so far as to pretend that she didn't speak English if it would keep her from having a conversation with anyone for 48 hours. 

She had been right. She made it to Carlsbad and checked in at The Cape early enough to be in a lounge chair by the pool at noon. She had splurged on a room with an ocean view. She knew her money could be better spent trying to wrangle justice for another soul, but she really, really needed this time to herself. 

As she waited for the elevator to arrive, the door opened and a 60-something man wiggled his surfboard out and bounded across the lobby in a wetsuit. His appearance put a smile on her face. She was back in the land of the surf gods. It felt familiar, and as much as she hated to admit it, it felt like home. 

Her room was perfect. It had a huge shower with a rain head system and a king size bed. All she could think about was changing her clothes and heading to the pool. Why did she feel so guilty about being selfish for 2 days? 

She had 4 hours before her facial, so she stopped at the restaurant and ordered lunch to be delivered to her poolside. Carrying only her book, her straw hat, and a robe, she headed for the chair with the most sun. California sun. She'd forgotten how powerful it felt and made her feel. She must have dozed off for a few minutes because her peace was broken by the sound of children screaming at each other. 

"Kai, dude, stop trying to drown your sister," came the voice she quickly recognized. No, no, no. This was not happening. How was it possible that she could know someone here? It wasn't just any voice. 

"Just pull your hat down over your face, Veronica," she said to herself. "He'll never know it's you if he doesn't see your face." 

"Ms. Mars," came the booming voice with a tray a food. Why hadn't she thought to use an alias when she booked her reservation? "Lunch for Ms. Mars." 

She tried to look only at the server, but she could see the tall figure get out of his lounge chair and start walking towards her. The server left the burger and iced tea on the round table next to her lounger. 

"Ronnie," he said. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. She'd have to call her dad now because she didn't want him to hear from someone else that she was in California and hadn't gone straight to visit him. 

"Oh, hey," she said. "What a surprise to see you, Dick." 

Dick took a seat on the chair next to hers and looked at her in disbelief. "What's it been like 9 or 10 years or something? What are you doing here?"

"I'm back for a wedding. Do you remember my dad's best friend Cliff? He's getting hitched on Saturday." Cliff was marrying a divorced librarian he had met at a dog rescue benefit. Veronica had admired Cliff for years and was surprised that he had waited to get married until he was ready to retire. 

In some ways, Cliff was like Veronica. He had dedicated his life to helping those in need, and he didn't seem to mind putting his personal happiness on hold. Veronica had girlfriends, guy friends, mentors, and acquaintances. She dated off and on and had had a 2-year fling with her neighbor Jackson. She had been so relieved when Jacks was transferred to Atlanta. There was no drama in the parting and she could go back to focusing on her career for justice. 

"Is the wedding here at The Cape?"

"No, I thought I would take a couple of days to myself before heading to Neptune. I didn't tell anyone I was going to be here today, so I'd appreciate it if you could keep that news just between us." 

"Sure, sure, Ronnie," Dick smirked. "Whatever you say." He turned away from Veronica and yelled, "Kai, I told you to stop drowning your sister." 

"Your kids, Dick?" Veronica wondered what justice there could be in the world if Dick's genes had been passed down to yet another generation. 

"Fuck no," he shuddered. "Those are Casey Gant's kids. Do you remember Casey?" Veronica nodded and Dick continued. "Casey's wife died a few years ago. Real bummer. She was diagnosed with cancer while she was pregnant with Maisey. She died when Maisey was still an infant. Super bummer. Casey was devastated, as you can imagine."

"God, that's terrible. Casey always seemed like a nice guy," Veronica said while wondering again about the justice of the situation. 

"Yeah, we all try to help Casey out as much as possible."

"That's really great of you, Dick. Have you taught them to surf yet?" 

"Soon, definitely soon. We're taking them to Legoland this afternoon."

"We? You mean Casey's here too?" 

"No, Casey had an overnight business meeting, so Logan and I are watching them. You knew Logan has a hideout in Carlsbad, right?" 

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. 

"No, I didn't, um, haven't, um, talked to Logan in, um, years," she stammered. 

"Yeah, his place doesn't have a pool, so the kids and I are staying here but Logan's coming by in awhile to pick us up." 

This could not be happening. The last thing she wanted was to see Logan Echolls. How was she going to get out of this? She could check out immediately and head to her dad's place, but she knew she'd still have to pay for the room for the next 2 nights. 

Fuck the room expense. How was she going to get away from the pool before Logan showed up? She had intentionally left her phone in her room so there was no way she could fake a phone call. 

She'd have to make a run for the spa. Her appointment wasn't for hours, but she figured if she showed up and pleaded with them, they would hide her in an empty room. At a swanky hotel like this they would probably even have another lunch delivered to her since the first one was cold. 

"Hey, we're going to Fish 101 in Leucadia tonight. Why don't you come with us?" Dick looked at her seriously. "I know Logan would love to catch up." 

"That's really nice of you to offer, but I can't." Why couldn't she? She had already told him no one knew she was in California. Think, Veronica. "I have a surprise party to go to, I'm afraid." She paused and looked down, knowing he would never believe that. 

"It was really great to see you, Dick, but I've got to get to my facial appointment." She jumped up as quickly as she could taking her book and hat with her. Screw the robe. She'd get another one at the spa. 

Dick followed her out of the pool area and into the hotel. As she turned to her right, Dick said, "Well if you change your mind about dinner, call my room."

Veronica walked as quickly as she could toward the spa. As she opened the door, she heard Dick yell to someone, "Dude, you are never going to believe this, but Ronnie is here. And she still looks hot."


	2. Chapter 2

Dick and Logan walked out to the pool to make sure that Kai and Maisey were still splashing but not drowning. Logan could not believe what Dick had shouted across the lobby. "Veronica Mars is here in Carlsbad," Logan repeated in disbelief.

"Not just Carlsbad, dude. She's staying here at the hotel. She just went to get a facial." Dick was searching his best friend's face for a hint of his reaction to the news. 

Logan turned and walked back into the hotel and followed the signs for the spa. He opened the door and greeted the receptionist with a warm, flirty smile. "I think my friend is here getting a facial. Any chance I could talk to her for a couple of minutes? Her name is Veronica Mars." 

The receptionist seemed impervious to Logan's charms. She knew her responsibility was to her guest. She had lied to paparazzi when they had celebrities staying at the hotel recovering from plastic surgery. "I'm sorry, sir, but we don't allow guests to be interrupted during their time in the spa. I'm sure you can understand our need for discretion and privacy." With that she turned to her computer and started typing. 

Logan walked back out to the hallway and looked through the glass windows of the fitness center. From the door of the spa, he could see all the way through the fitness center, over the pool, and out to the ocean. He spotted Dick trying to dry off Kai while Maisey wrapped herself in a towel. 

Logan headed back to the pool and Dick said he would take them to the room to change their clothes. Logan nodded and took a seat between the pool fence and the wall of windows leading into the lobby. "I'll meet you here," he said to Dick. 

Why was Veronica in Carlsbad? Logan rarely spent time at his Carlsbad condo any more. In fact, he was considering selling it and moving in with Dick. What were the chances that Dick and Logan would both be in Carlsbad at the same time as Veronica? It had to be fate. 

He hadn't seen Veronica in years. He'd tried to find her on social media, but she either wasn't on the typical sites or used an alias. He would Google her name from time to time, so he knew she was living in Chicago. Twice he'd switched planes at O'Hare, and he had attempted to find her number so they could meet for dinner. He saw Mac once or twice a year, but she never gave him any hint that she still talked to Veronica. 

Other than Dick and Casey, Logan didn't hang with many people from Neptune High any more. Logan had finished at Hearst with a degree in English and headed straight for the navy. He made a commitment to the navy he had never made to a woman. He signed his name, and knew he would be married to the navy for at least 8 years. When he signed up, that seemed like a lifetime vow. 

Logan took his phone out of his front jeans pocket and found The Cape in his contact list. "Veronica Mars' room, please." He didn't have her cell phone number, so the hotel landline seemed like the only way to get in touch with her. The voicemail system kicked in, and he said, "Veronica, it's Logan Echolls. Dick said he saw you by the pool. I was hoping we'd have a chance to get together. We haven't seen each other for, like, what 10 years. When you get this, call me on my cell at 442-244-0101. Or give Dick a call. He's staying in the hotel, so you can call the front desk and ask for the Casablanca room." He paused slightly and said, "Veronica, it would be really nice to see you again." He hung up and looked at his phone. She was so close. He needed to see her. 

As Logan sat on the couch waiting for Dick and the kids, he thought about the last 10 years without Veronica. How would his world have been different if she had wanted to remain in his life? Could they have been friends? Would he have joined the navy? Would they be married and have kids that played with Kai and Maisey? 

Dick opened the glass door and Kai plopped down next to Logan and squeezed his shoulders. "Can we go to In-N-Out Burger before we go to Legoland, Logan?" Logan didn't eat much fast food these days, but it was hard to deny these children any pleasure in life. He knew all too well the emptiness of losing a mother. 

"I think that can arranged, Kai," he smiled. As he stood up, he could see the receptionist in the spa keeping an eye on him. Veronica was in there. She was feet away from him, but he knew his attention was needed elsewhere. "Let's get in the car. The valet won't like my car sitting out front much longer." 

"Did you find her?" Dick asked Logan as they walked past the TV common area and the kids ran ahead of them. Dick had watched Logan date lots of women over the years, but Logan had never stopped comparing them to Veronica. Dick didn't understand the attraction to the ball-buster Veronica had been. Dick preferred his women more laid back than the intimidating enforcer Veronica had been. But Dick was smart enough to know that love was a complex emotion. That's probably why he tried to avoid it. 

"I couldn't get into the spa. I left her a message on her hotel phone and gave her my cell phone number," he confessed. "Maybe she'll call. I hope she calls."


	3. Chapter 3

Veronica heard a light knock on the door before it opened. "Ms. Mars, I just wanted to let you know I saw the man in question leave the hotel. Would you like to move your facial up to 2:00? We have an opening."

Veronica debated and realized they would likely be at Legoland for a few hours with 2 little children. "Do you have any idea how late Legoland stays open?" she asked the receptionist. 

"I'm pretty sure they are open until 5:00. They'll stay open longer this weekend with the holiday, but I think it's 5:00 tonight. Do you need to visit there yet today?"

"No, I want to avoid it at all costs, and, yes, please move my facial to 2:00." Veronica closed her book. "Excuse me, I still need to grab some lunch." 

Veronica made her way out of the spa and padded across the lobby to the restaurant. She didn't love buffets, but they had one set up and she was starving. "Table for 1," she said to the hostess. She loved saying that in restaurants. It made her feel grown up and in control. She asked for a booth in the corner and opened her book. She was feeling more relaxed already. 

It had been years since Veronica indulged in a facial. She loved someone touching her face. It had been too long time since someone, anyone had touched her face. It seemed so decadent, but she loved the hypnotic state she found herself enjoying. It reminded her of that feeling she got just before she fell asleep. She walked in a fog back to her room and fell onto the bed. She didn't dream about anyone or anything. 

**********

Sitting on a bench at Legoland, Logan pulled his phone out of his pocket to make sure it was on and that he hadn't missed her call. "Dude, she'll call when she's ready," Dick moaned to him. Already, he could see that Logan was becoming too needy. "Watch the kids while I hit the head." 

Logan knew Dick was right. He would figure out a way to see Veronica. He had to believe that she wasn't still so upset with him that she would check out of the hotel before they had a chance to talk. 

"OK, who's ready to go to driving school to earn their Legoland driver's license?" Logan smiled as he tempted Kai and Maisey. Their cheers and laughter lifted his heart. It was hard for him to believe that there was such innocence left in the world. He grabbed Maisey's hand and said, "Let's start walking. I'll text Dick to meet us over there."

**********

Veronica woke up from her nap, grabbed a bottle of water, and headed to the balcony to enjoy the last of the sun's rays. Even with the busy Carlsbad Boulevard running between the hotel and the sand, she could hear the waves. She wanted to walk on the beach and pull her toes through the sand. Sure, Chicago had Lake Michigan, but it wasn't the same as the feel of the vast ocean. 

She picked up her cell phone and called her dad. "Hey, daughter of mine. Are you packing for your visit?" 

"Hey, dad. Well, actually I have something to confess." She hated lying to her dad or keeping the truth from him. She wondered why she had thought it was so important to keep these two days a secret. "I'm in Carlsbad. I'm sorry I didn't go right to your house, but I wanted to spend some time pampering myself at a spa. I hope you aren't upset." 

"Honey, you deserve to pamper yourself now and again. Don't feel guilty. I'm so glad I will be seeing you in a couple of days. How are you?" Did he notice something in her voice? 

"Dad, I'm great, but I feel so guilty for not telling you I was this close." 

"No guilt. All is good. Will I still see you for lasagna on Friday night?"

"Definitely. I'll talk to you soon, Dad. Bye."

She switched off her phone so she wouldn't be tempted to check her work email and texts. Instead she opened her book and went back to the London murder. She still felt a rush when she was able to figure out the murderer before she was half-way through a book. 

She heard a knock at her door, and she went to answer it knowing it was housekeeping delivering the extra shampoo she had requested. 

"Logan?" She spit out, looking stunned to see his rugged face again. "How did you know what room I was in?"

"Dick charmed the front desk clerk," he chuckled. "It's great to see you, Veronica. Can I come in for a little bit?" He still looked at her with that same gaze that made her weak in the knees. She hated that he had that effect on her even after all these years. He seemed taller than she remembered, but it could be because she wasn't wearing shoes.

"Sure. Come in. Do you want a bottle of water? I was just sitting on the balcony reading and watching the ocean." She felt like she was stuttering. 

"Yeah, water would be great. You know I never get tired of looking at the ocean." They headed to the balcony, and he noticed her voicemail light was blinking on the nightstand. 

They were tentative with each other not wanting to give away secrets or appear vulnerable. Veronica knew how to be tough and how to keep her emotions in check. She'd had years of practice as she watched innocent people walk at of jail after decades of injustice. It was her job to be the voice of reason and calm. 

"So," she said and looked out at the ocean. "Dick tells me you have a condo in Carlsbad. What are the chances?" 

"Veronica, maybe I shouldn't have barged in like this, but I had to see you. It's been almost 10 years. We used to be friends," he said with desperation in his voice. 

"Ten years. I guess that means we're old," she said to lighten the mood. "So what have you been up to in the decade apart?" 

Logan couldn't remember the last time he felt so uncomfortable. It had always been easy with Veronica. Their banter had come naturally, even when they were fighting. "Well, I graduated from Hearst, and I joined the navy. I'm a pilot now."

"Wow. A navy pilot. I had no idea. I bet that's a stressful job," she chuckled at how she had thought she was probably the one with the stress in her life. Logan had always been full of surprises. 

"Yeah, it's stressful, but I really love it. I think I was made to fly," he said and finally looked her in the eyes. He missed seeing the blue of those eyes. "How about you?" 

"Well, I wasn't made to fly. Just flying to California this morning made me nervous enough. Oh, I'm living in Chicago now," she couldn't seem to find the rhythm they had shared so many years ago. 

Logan took a swig of his water. "What's your life like in Chicago?" he asked. 

"I was going to say stressful, but I don't feel like I can say that after the words "navy pilot" were uttered," she joked. "I wound up at Northwestern after leaving Hearst. I wanted to get involved with the Medill Justice Project. After I graduated, I stayed on so I could keep working on cases. It's been rewarding. I'm thinking about going to law school because I can see that would be the next thing to help me work for justice for more people," she stopped herself, thinking that she had shared too much. Was she really thinking about going to law school? She had been thinking about it, but it was the first time she had said it aloud. 

"The Justice Project, huh? Is that the one where they try to free people wrongly convicted of crimes?" He thought he had heard about something similar and had even thought there might have been a TV show about it at one time. "That sounds perfect for you." 

There was a knock on the door, and Veronica stood up to walk across the room. "I hope that's housekeeping so I can finally take a shower!" When she opened the door, she was handed 3 small bottles of shampoo. Veronica thanked them for the delivery. 

When she turned around Logan was closer to her than she had expected. "Veronica, please come to dinner with us tonight. It's been so long since we've spent time together. Please." 

Veronica wasn't sure dinner with Logan and Dick was a good decision. She tried hard these days to make good decisions, but she knew the two children would be a buffer for the two men. "OK. Maybe that would be nice. What time are you going?" 

"We're leaving at 7:00. With the kids, we have to eat fairly early. Can you meet us in the lobby at 7:00?"

"I'll see you there." She opened the door to let Logan leave. "It was good to see you again, Logan." 

"You too, Veronica." 

Veronica closed the door and turned back into the room. For the first time, she noticed the light on her room phone was blinking.


	4. Chapter 4

"Good to see you could get out of your surprise party, Ronnie," Dick joked. Veronica smiled, but looked down, knowing she had been caught in her lie. 

The ride to Fish 101 was louder than Veronica had expected. Because there were 5 of them, they decided to take Dick's Ranger Rover. Veronica rode in the backseat with Kai and Maisey. The two of them were determined to play Rock, Paper, Scissors until Veronica was convinced she would hear "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Go" in her dreams. She had forgotten how high-pitched children's shouting could be. 

Veronica loved the restaurant as soon as they ordered. "Any place you can buy surfboard wax while ordering fish tacos and a Modelo is OK with me," she delighted. Logan looked at her and smiled. It was good to smile at each other again. 

They took seats at a table in the back, and Veronica was mesmerized by how the owners had been able to capture a beach feel inside a restaurant. The upscale picnic tables and tent-like ceiling were unlike anything she had seen before. She could almost hear waves crashing even though they were blocks from the beach. The adults had ordered fish tacos while the kids wanted grilled cheese sandwiches. 

Veronica bit into her fish taco, and turned to Kai and Maisey. "Oh my god, you have know idea what you are missing." How had she lived without these tacos in her life? She would never be able to go back to fish and chips at Chief O'Neill's in Chicago. 

Logan and Dick talked about Legoland with the kids, and Veronica was content to listen. Kai showed her his new driver's license. She could tell he was proud that he thought he was an official driver in the state of California. They sat and talked for two hours before Maisey started yawning. 

"We'd better get back to the hotel before Maisey needs to be carried to the car," Dick noted. He patted her head and said, "Girl, you're getting too big to be carried." 

**********

Everyone piled out of the Range Rover and Dick handed his keys to the valet. "Don't scratch it, dude," Dick chided. They walked into the lobby before Logan gave each of the children a hug goodnight. Veronica was behind them because she dropped her scarf getting out of the SUV. Dick started through the lobby with the children and Logan turned to her before she could brush past him. 

"Veronica," he said deeply. She turned to him to thank him for a nice evening. It really had been nicer than she had anticipated. "Could we get a coffee or a drink before you head upstairs?" 

She locked eyes with him and said, "What I'd really like to do is to sit on the beach and watch the moonlight on the ocean." 

It was as if a switch had been turned on in Logan's brain and his smile from years ago returned. He grabbed her hand and they walked out of the lobby and across the street to the beach. Veronica probably wouldn't have had the certainty to sit alone on the beach at night, but she felt comfortable knowing Logan would be next to her. When they reached the beach, they both took off their shoes to feel the sand in their toes. They weren't the only ones on the beach, but they felt isolated from the rest of the world. 

They sat quietly until Logan broke the silence by saying, "Veronica, I've missed you so much these last 10 years."

Veronica gasped a little not expecting to hear those words from her former friend, her former boyfriend. "I think I've missed you, too, Logan."

"You think you missed me? Don't commit yourself too firmly, Mars," he said with a chuckle. She bumped her shoulder into his arm and laughed. It really did feel good to laugh again. She realized she didn't laugh most days. 

They sat in silence again until Logan said, "So shall we try to be friends again?" 

Veronica thought about how to answer that. It wasn't an easy question for her. She began slowly, "Logan, I made a lot of mistakes in high school and at Hearst. Seeing you reminds me of the people I hurt and of the people who hurt me." She saw Logan turn away from her slightly and she could hear him take a deep breath. 

"I'm one of those people who hurt you, aren't I, Veronica?" he said softly. 

"Yeah, and I'm one of the people who hurt you," she confessed. "Were we good to each other? If we weren't then, are we capable of being good to each other now? I have the type of job that makes me wonder if any human beings are capable of being good to each other." 

"Well, now that's a depressing way to steer the conversation. A little light philosophy about the depravity of mankind to end the evening," Logan chuckled again and began to feel like their rhythm might be returning. 

"I just don't want to screw things up again for you, for me, for us, for anyone. Every day is a fight to make up for my past sins," she confessed. Sitting together in the darkness made it easy for her to reveal more than she intended. 

Logan moved his arm and wrapped it around her. "We're all just trying to get by, Mars. Don't be so hard on yourself."

Veronica found herself leaning into Logan's chest. It felt so natural to be touching him again to be folded into his arm. "Yeah, let's try this again. Let's try to be friends. What's the worst that could happen? We've already run screaming from each other on more than one occasion." 

Logan put his chin on the top of Veronica's head. He'd missed holding her, talking to her. This was what was missing from his life. He knew that, but he wasn't convinced Veronica had the same realization. She'd just told him they could be friends. Was that enough for him? It was likely she had a boyfriend in Chicago. He knew it was too soon to ask her, and he needed to have hope. 

"I'm picking up Dick and the kids to go out for bagels tomorrow morning before they head back to Neptune to meet Casey. Kai and Maisey live for bagels and cream cheese. Do you want to go with us?" 

"Actually, I have an early morning massage at the spa. I'll have to pass on the bagels, even though it sounds delicious." 

"What about spending time with me tomorrow afternoon?" Logan asked. It was too soon to let her disappear again from his life. 

She paused before answering. "I'd like that. I don't have to be in Neptune until Friday. Call me after Dick leaves and we'll arrange where to meet." 

They sat in silence again before Veronica realized how cold she had become. "We'd better getting moving, Logan, or I'm going to turn blue." They stood up and brushed off the sand, heading back towards the hotel. Logan gave his ticket to the valet, and he pierced Veronica with his stare.

"Thanks for spending time with me today, Veronica. I know it wasn't what you had planned for your vacation, but it meant a lot to me to be with you."

Veronica punched him softly on the arm and winked at him. "See you tomorrow, old friend." She turned and walked back into the lobby. 

"Who you calling old?"


	5. Chapter 5

Veronica woke up on Thursday morning surrounded by a sea of white - white sheets, white comforter, white nightgown. She could hear the waves through the balcony door she had left ajar through the night. It was peaceful, but she was tempted to turn her phone on and check her messages. Disconnecting was a hard habit to break. 

Her massage was scheduled for 9:00, so she made herself coffee in the room and sat on the balcony in her white robe with her book and coffee in a white cup. At 8:50, she changed into yoga pants, bra, tank top, and sandals and headed to the spa. 

She was looking forward to the green tea wrap and massage. Eighty minutes with someone touching her again. She began to wonder how long it had been since someone had touched the back of her knees or the middle of her back. She felt like she had resorted to paying people to touch her in all the right places. 

She went back to her room in a haze, sucking on the water bottle they gave her. She noticed the light on her room phone blinking. "Veronica? It's Logan. I forgot to get your cell phone number yesterday. Anyway, how about if I pick you up at 1:00? We'll go to an old ranch in town. Wear clothes and shoes for hiking. See you then." 

Veronica looked at the clock and smiled. She could go back to sleep for an hour and still have time to shower before Logan would pick her up. With each passing moment, she felt less guilty about the small pleasures in life. 

She turned on her phone and sent quick texts to Mac and Wallace letting them know she would be in town and asking them if they wanted to meet at her dad's house tomorrow night for lasagna. If she was going to spend hours with Logan Echolls on this trip, she could certainly invest a few hours with her best friends. In a matter of seconds, they had both texted back smiley faces and thumbs up. Maybe she hadn't become the misanthrope she was afraid she had. 

**********

Veronica was chatting with the young man running the valet station when Logan pulled up in a BMW convertible. 

"Wow. Sweet ride, buddy," Veronica admired. It was a far cry from the bright yellow Nissan Logan drove in high school. Veronica waved to the valet attendant and sunk into the leather seat. She was glad she had put her hair in a ponytail realizing how windy the convertible would be. 

"Thanks," Logan grinned clearly proud of his favorite car. "Ready? We're going to Leo Carrillo's ranch. It's only about 10 minutes from here."

They drove over in silence, and Veronica tilted her face up towards the sun taking in the cool breeze, the sunshine, and the salt air. California was calling her back, one sense at a time. 

"Leo Carrillo was an actor, and he bought this site as a retreat from Hollywood," Logan told Veronica as he parked the car. "Even decades ago, he was smart enough to know to get the hell out of Hollywood if he wanted to stay sane." 

Veronica wasn't sure she even knew who Leo Carrillo was, but the scenery was beautiful and she was always anxious to learn about California's history. Even celebrity history could be interesting. Veronica knew how much Logan hated the movie industry, so she was surprised this was the first place he would show her. 

"There's a walking path we can take," Logan guided her in the right direction. "We can check out the buildings as we go past them. Oh, and watch out for the peacocks. They're some mean motherfuckers." 

The grounds were beautiful and there was a nice mix of hills and flat spaces for walking. Veronica stopped occasionally to read the signs about the trees and plants. They weren't talking much, but Veronica was following Logan's lead on the trails. She was glad she had remembered to take a bottle of water from the hotel. 

They made their way to the pool and cabana area, and Logan sat down on the bench. Veronica hoped the sunscreen she put on before leaving the hotel would be enough to keep her nose from burning. 

"So, tell me about life in Chicago," Logan asked. "Do you hate the snow?" 

"That's the first question people ask me when they find out I'm a Californian living in Chicago." Veronica chuckled at Logan's obvious question. "Next you're going to ask me about the Cubs, aren't you?" 

"Nothing to know about the Cubs, is there? They won't win the World Series. They never do," he said. "I'm sure your dad loves it that you're in a city that has a baseball team who plays the Padres." 

"Yeah, that's true. He sticks out in his vintage brown Padres shirt in the sea of blue at Wrigley." 

Logan couldn't believe they were talking about baseball after not seeing each other for 10 years. Neither of them really cared about baseball. They could keep up a conversation if they had to, but it was not a topic they would usually choose to discuss. Yet here they were sitting next to each other after 10 years talking about baseball. Was it supposed to be so formal and uncomfortable to be next to each other again? 

"What's your life like in Chicago, Ronnie?" Logan asked. Veronica looked over at Logan. He rarely called her by her middle school nickname. No one in Chicago ever called her that. She expected it from Dick but no one else. 

"Well, I work at least half the hours in a day. I have a cute condo in a cute neighborhood in a cute city. What's not to like?" Veronica was keeping the conversation as casual as possible and trying not to reveal too much about her life. Then she thought about it. Actually, what she told him was about all there was to reveal about her life. "What's life like in the navy?"

"I definitely wouldn't use the word 'cute' for any part of the navy experience," Logan smirked. "What part do you want to know about my life?" 

"Why did you decide to join?" Veronica asked. She still couldn't picture Logan having enough self-control not to talk back to any authority figure, and the military was full of authority figures. 

"After you left, I think I got a little bit out of control for awhile. Luckily Dick kicked me in the ass enough times for me to see what I was doing to myself," Logan turned away from Veronica as he remembered the nights (and days) of too many drinks, too many drugs, too many women, and too many bad choices. He wasn't proud of those months, but he would own up to what he had done. "I finally buckled down and worked on my grades at Hearst. My therapist would tell you that children of alcoholics crave discipline." He looked at her knowing they shared that bond. 

"When the topic of miserable parenting comes up, it may be time to change the station," Veronica assessed. "Let's check out the haciendas." Veronica was desperate to get away from the heavy direction she could imagine the conversation taking. 

Veronica read every sign in each building, not so much because she was interested in the topic but because she wanted to keep the day as light as possible. She wondered how they would be able to fill any more time together without veering into difficult subjects. 

As they walked towards Logan's car, Veronica turned on her phone to take a picture of a peacock in full display. When she did, she could hear the texts arriving. She knew she should have left her phone back at the hotel. "Seems you're popular," Logan joked. 

When they got back into the car, Logan asked if he could take her out for dinner. "Let's go to Harbor Fish Cafe. It's casual and looks out over the ocean. We can watch the sunset while we eat." 

Veronica hesitated, but relented with the caveat that she would go back to the hotel first and change out of her hiking clothes. When they arrived at the hotel, Veronica stepped out of the car and said, "I'll meet you there in an hour." She turned and walked back into the hotel before Logan could reply. He still didn't have her cell phone number.


	6. Chapter 6

Veronica stopped at the front desk and arranged for the hotel shuttle to drop her off in downtown Carlsbad in 30 minutes. That would give her enough time to shower and change before heading out again. Reluctantly, she turned her phone back on and looked at her texts. They were all from Mac and Wallace, and most of them made her smile. She didn't bother looking at anything from work. 

When Veronica made it to the shopping district, she stopped briefly in a few stores. She didn't need anything, so she wasn't tempted to buy. She rarely bought anything these days besides groceries and toiletries. Her life had become simplistic. According to certain magazines, simplicity was a new trend, but she had had no intention of partaking. She wasn't a trendsetter; she had just given up many of the luxuries of life, like new clothes and home decor. As Veronica walked to the restaurant, she chuckled to herself as she noted the crazy diagonal crosswalk in the middle of Carlsbad. 

She made her way to the restaurant, and Logan was already waiting for her. He was in dress pants and a button-front shirt. He had obviously showered, and he smelled the same as he used to, the same way he did in her dreams. "I thought you said this was casual attire," Veronica chided as she noted how handsome he looked. 

He stared at her in her black pants, striped shirt, and black boots and was reminded of how often he had seen her in outfits like that. "You look beautiful, Veronica. Just like always. We can sit at the bench over there," he said waving to his left. "We'll be able to see the sunset, but we won't have to wait for an actual table." Veronica followed him. 

"Do you live near here?" Veronica asked as they sat down next to each other. Logan gave her the seat closest to the ocean. 

"Yeah, it's just a couple of blocks from here. I love being able to see the ocean any time of the day."

The waitress came by and asked for their order. Logan requested water. Veronica wasn't sure how she would get through another couple of hours without an alcoholic beverage, but she ordered iced tea noting that she hadn't seen Logan drink any alcohol last night or today. They both ordered the fish po' boy. 

"Do you still see Mac and Wallace?" Logan asked quietly. He needed to pry out why Veronica hadn't reached out to him for almost a decade. 

"I don't get back to California very often, so I just keep in contact via text or email most of the time. Mac comes to Chicago for work now and again, so we try to get together for dinner when she has time. Wallace's dad is still in Chicago, so I see him on occasion. We're going to meet at my dad's house tomorrow night for homemade lasagna." Veronica started to anticipate her favorite meal already. "Why Carlsbad?" That was one of the pieces of the puzzle Veronica had not been able to place. 

"It definitely wasn't to be closer to the fucking Marines at Pendleton," Logan laughed. Veronica didn't get the joke. She assumed everyone in the military get along with each other. Obviously, this was a world she knew nothing about. "Would you believe it if I told you it was because of a woman?"

"Yes, I'd definitely believe that!" Veronica laughed and looked back at the ocean. 

Logan wished Veronica would look at him more often. He missed seeing her gorgeous blue eyes. He could get drunk on those eyes. "It wasn't actually. I just wanted to hear you laugh." He paused before speaking again. "My mom bought the condo years ago. She bought it in case she had to make a quick escape from my dad. I've never been able to part with it. I probably should because I hardly ever use it. It's not practical, but it makes me think about her." 

Veronica didn't know what to say. She hadn't meant to bring up a subject that would upset Logan. "If you decide you want to give it up, you'll know when the time is right. Looking at the area, I'm sure the property values have gone up since she bought it." As soon as the words left her mouth, Veronica knew they sounded crass. He didn't want to sell the condo for sentimental reasons and she had made a quip about money. She really had lost her ability to have casual conversations with people. 

Before Logan could reply, the waitress brought them their food and drinks. Veronica held up her glass and tipped it towards Logan. "Cheers." He grabbed his water and they clinked their plastic tumblers together. 

The sun set as Veronica finished her second glass of iced tea. "Do you want to go down to the beach?" Logan asked Veronica. 

"I told the driver to pick me up at 8:00, so I don't think we have time," Veronica replied. She had intentionally scheduled a return shuttle as an excuse to leave early. 

"I could take you back to the hotel," Logan said, clearly disappointed in her arrangements. 

"Thanks for offering, but I need to go back and pack. I told my dad I'd be in Neptune by tomorrow afternoon." 

"When are you heading back to Chicago?"

"I'm taking the 12:15 flight out of John Wayne on Sunday. I'm going back a day early because the prices were too high traveling on the holiday, and I've given up on red eye flights when at all possible."

"Before you leave for Neptune tomorrow, come over to the condo and I'll make breakfast. I promise the full spread with eggs, pancakes, and bacon. What do you say?" Logan seemed to be pleading with her, and she was finding it hard to resist. She had spent too many hours giving in to pleading victims.

"OK, but I'll take the shuttle to your condo and have them pick me up. How about 9:00? Is that too early?" 

"Perfect." Logan was already planning his trip to the grocery store after they parted. He was excited for to her see where he lived, at least a few weeks of the year. 

They walked out of the restaurant, and Veronica saw the shuttle waiting. She walked quickly towards it feeling guilty for making the driver wait for her. As she was boarding, she turned and said, "Text me your address, so I know where to go tomorrow." The door closed behind her and the shuttle left. 

Logan watched her leave. He was taken aback by how quickly she seemed to want to get away from him. Suddenly he realized something. How could he text her when he still didn't have her cell phone number?


	7. Chapter 7

Veronica slept until 8:00 and called the front desk to see if she could delay her check out until 1:00. "No problem, Ms. Mars. Is there anything else we can do to make your stay more enjoyable?" When she put the receiver back down, the message light was blinking. She dialed in for the message and heard Logan's voice. He left his address and she wrote it down using a pen and paper. Veronica noted how easy life was when she had her cell phone on 24/7. 

She arranged for the shuttle to drop her off at 9:00 and they said they would pick her up at noon. She was already packed, so that would give her half an hour on the balcony before she drove to her dad's house. This mini-vacation had not turned out as she had planned, and it made her uncomfortable thinking about her lack of control. 

Logan's condo was near the corner of Ocean and Oak and was steps from the beach. Veronica assumed he spent a lot of time surfing and on the beach when he was in Carlsbad. The building was modest, but she was sure it was worth millions because of the location alone. She rang the doorbell attached to the "Lester" name tag and waited. She deduced he didn't want "Echolls" attracting unwanted visitors. 

She entered at the sound of the buzz and went to the top floor. His front door was open for her, so she walked in and tapped the door shut behind her. The smell of bacon had been evident as soon as she had stepped out of the elevator. "Smells great in here," she said hoping to catch his attention. 

Logan looked around the corner and smiled. "Come in. Everything's almost ready. I thought we'd eat out on the balcony." Except for the cars in the parking lot between the condo and the beach, she couldn't imagine a better view for eating breakfast. The outside table was set up with dishes and glasses. "Coffee?"

"Could there be any other answer except yes, please?"

"I'll bring everything outside if you want to wait out there," Logan instructed. Veronica was happy to make her way to the terrace. It was chilly, but it was still wonderful to be in the fresh air. Veronica took a seat in the chair farthest from the sliding door. It would be easier for Logan if he needed to return to the kitchen. 

Logan was thrilled to have Veronica in his home and he was determined to get beyond the superficial conversations they had had the last 2 days. He knew this was probably his last chance to make his case for friendship. She had dropped hints that she wasn't good at keeping up with even her closest friends, so he didn't think he stood a chance of remaining in her life after today if he couldn't break through her walls. 

"Oh my god, Logan, this looks amazing," Veronica salivated as he placed a tray of coffee, pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon down on the table. The juice and fruit were already on the table. Veronica knew a similar meal at the hotel would cost $30 or more. "You're spoiling me!"

"I hope so," Logan grinned at her compliments. "Help yourself and there's more in the kitchen if you want anything else." 

"I think this will be plenty," Veronica laughed and began to load her plate with a little of each item. Should could tell the juice was freshly squeezed and wondered if he had done that or if he had bought it at the store that way. 

"So you're off to your dad's after this?" he asked without waiting for an answer. "How is your dad? Still a private detective? Are you going to Neptune just to see him?"

"He's doing really well. Thanks for asking." She didn't follow up with any of his other questions because she was pouring syrup on her pancakes and wondering what to eat first. "Oh, you asked me why I was going to Neptune. Sorry I was busy concentrating on the food." She took a few bites between sentences. "I'm going home because Cliff McCormack is getting married. My dad is the best man. Cliff is 62 and getting married for the first time. They're getting hitched at a library. How cool is that?" Suddenly Veronica was looking forward to going home. 

"That is cool. If they don't know how to do something in the ceremony, they can just go to the nonfiction floor and pull out a Martha Stewart wedding book." Logan looked at Veronica who had a smile on her face. He should have known food was the way to her heart. He cursed himself for not starting with a home-cooked meal on their first night together. Maybe if he had, they would have made more headway in their relationship by now. 

They ate in silence until Veronica put her fork down and declared, "So good." Apparently, the breakfast portion of the morning was finished. "I don't know how you stay in such good shape when you make meals like that," Veronica said. She poured herself more coffee. 

"There's this thing called the navy, and they have a few rules in place to make sure I stay in this kind of shape. Thanks for noticing, though," Logan kidded. 

They turned to the ocean and were quiet. Logan looked over at Veronica and could see she had her eyes closed under her sunglasses. "Veronica," he hesitated. "I want to ask you something." 

She kept her eyes closed feeling trapped. "Go ahead."

"Why didn't you try to contact me in the last 10 years?" She knew she could turn the question on him because she assumed he had not tried to reach out to her for that same amount of time. She tried to keep her composure, bracing herself for an inevitable fight. 

"I suppose my therapist would call it avoidance behavior," she was trying to sound light and joking, but it came out more serious than she intended. 

"The great Veronica Mars has a therapist," Logan said a bit relieved believing she needed one to chase away some of her demons. 

"Yes, the great Veronica Mars is in fact a regular human being full of faults and challenges. It was a blow even to me when I found out." She was getting tense sensing the direction of the conversation. 

"I'm good at my job," she continued. "I like to think I'm great at my job. What I'm not good at are relationships. Instead of trying to do something I suck at, I decided it was easier to focus on my career. I can feel good about myself when I see what I do for other people, people who respect and appreciate what I do for them." Veronica was questioning why was she talking so much. She only had a couple more hours before she had to leave Carlsbad and would never have to see or talk to Logan again if she didn't want to. She had to try to turn the conversation, so she went off in the only direction she could find. "Why do you have so many days off from your job in the navy?" 

"Nice tangent, Mars," Logan said knowing exactly what she was doing. "I have some time off before my next deployment. I leave the middle of next week." 

"You mean if I had waited one more week for my little vacation, I would have missed this reunion with you and Dick?" Veronica was trying to joke. She shook her fist at the sky and said, "My stars shine darkly over me." 

"Shakespeare. Nice." Logan wasn't thrilled with her joke. "I didn't realize you had it in you to recite Shakespeare. I thought that was reserved for us English majors." 

"He gives good quote, you know," Veronica laughed. She became more serious and said, "How long are your deployments?" 

"Six months." 

"Yikes. Tough to have much of a life on land with that kind of schedule, isn't it?" 

Logan looked at her seriously. "Are you asking me about my personal life, Veronica? Because you haven't, you know. You haven't asked me about my life."

"It's not really my place. We haven't seen each for years. You don't owe me anything."

"We may not owe each other anything, but aren't you curious? Don't you want to know if I'm seeing anyone? Don't you want to know what makes me happy? I want to know those things about you." Logan was begging her to engage with him. 

"Logan, what makes you happy and are you seeing anyone?" She couldn't help but be condescending while saying it. 

"Now you're just being a jackass, Veronica." 

"That may be a record. How many hours have we spent together before we started calling each other names?" Veronica started to count to 10 as she took deep breaths. She found the technique rarely helped her calm down, but it was worth a try. 

Logan didn't apologize. He just kept looking at her, staring at her as she took deep breaths and looked out at the ocean. He was familiar with those same methods. It must be taught in psychotherapy 101. 

"My ride isn't here yet, so I'm afraid I can't go storming off this time," Veronica said quietly. 

"I don't want to fight with you, Veronica. I just want to get beyond this wall that seems to be between us. Why is this so hard?" Logan stopped talking and took a deep breath. "Let's go back to easy. How about that?" He looked at her again, but she kept her stare towards the ocean. "Tell me something about your life in Chicago that I would never believe."

"I bleed purple," she said softly and giggled. 

Logan noticed she had her right hand held up and her fingers were flexed into the shape of a claw. When he looked at her face, he saw the playful girl he had admired even before Lilly died. "I don't know what that means."

"It's like the secret handshake for Northwestern grads." She was still smiling. "It's crazy, I know, but I used to sit on ice cold bleachers in November watching football games on Saturday afternoons. The crazy part is that I really loved it." She paused for a moment. "Never mind. That wasn't important," Veronica said. "I'll try to be serious about your question." Logan was trying so hard. She even felt a little sorry for him. "How about this? I don't own a car in Chicago. I never go anywhere without my public transportation card. I could probably dig my Ventra card out of my purse right now to prove it," she said proudly. "What kind of a true-blue Californian doesn't own a car?" 

"Not one that I know. Don't worry. I own three, so if you need to borrow one, I have a spare."

"Now you go. What is there about your life that I would never believe?"

"I have coffee with Mac twice a year hoping she'll reveal something about you to me." 

"Really? Mac never told me she has coffee with you." Veronica knew her best friend was private, but she began to wonder what else she had been keeping secret from her. She didn't know if she was more surprised that Logan was trying to get information about her or that he saw Mac more than she did. 

"Tell me something else I wouldn't believe," Logan asked. 

"I take mandolin lessons, and I'm actually not that bad." Veronica laughed at the thought of her playing and singing in class. There was no way she was going to admit that she had signed up to take another songwriting class just before she left for California. 

"That doesn't really surprise me. I used to love to listen to you sing. Sometimes I would catch you singing in the bathroom, and I would just stand outside the door listening."

"You old softy." 

"Please stop telling me I'm old," Logan laughed. "See, Veronica, it doesn't have to be so hard. We can laugh together. We used to laugh together."

"And as I recall we also cried together and screamed together and slammed doors together. Truthfully, what do you remember, the laughing or the screaming?" 

"I guess that depends on when and where you were screaming," Logan said as he wiggled his eyebrows. 

"You're terrible," she sighed. 

"Lightning round. Ready?"

"Ready."

"Dog?"

"No."

"Boyfriend?"

"No."

"Kids?"

"No."

"Happy?"

"Sometimes."

"Miss me?"

"Sometimes."

"Best pizza in Chicago?"

"Where to start?"

"Fiancé?"

"No."

"Your turn."

"Dog?"

"No."

"Girlfriend?"

"No."

"Kids?"

"No."

"Happy?"

"Especially when I'm flying."

"Miss me?"

"Terribly."

"Best pizza in Carlsbad."

"Nothing's as good as Cho's."

"Wife - present or ex?"

"No."

"I believe that ends the question portion of our interview," Veronica laughed. "Maybe we're better off having conversations with only 1 word answers to questions."

"You could have asked me other things. Aren't there other things you want to know about me, Veronica?"

"You know, I don't think anyone's ever said my name in quite the same way you do. It only takes me an instant to know what kind of a mood you're in just by the way you say my name." 

"What kind of mood am I in?" he asked. 

"Pensive. Maybe just a hint of nostalgia." She waited a couple of beats and asked, "Can I help you clean up the dishes?"

"No. I'll do it later. I want to spend as much time talking to you before you leave me again."

She looked at him knowing that she had, in fact, left him before. Many times. Too many times. In no time at all, she'd leave him again. 

"There's more I want to know," he said and she sighed. "Why are you so reluctant to give our friendship another shot? We've known each other more than half of our lives. Why are you afraid of this?"

"I'm not sure I am afraid, but I feel pretty confident how it will end. We never had a problem being attracted to each other. It was the relationship part of the deal that led to the heartache. Witty banter and attraction don't make a friendship, do they?"

"They can. Friendships can be based on lots of things. It's not just me, though is it? You rarely see Mac or Wallace and you consider them your best friends. Why give up on the people who love you?"

"Shit, you ask more questions than my father does. Let it go, Logan. I don't need to be harassed into spilling my deepest thoughts over cold coffee. I've always known you to wear your heart on your sleeve. I don't want to do that. I want to live my life as simply, as quietly, as peacefully as I can. I don't want any more pain."

"Life doesn't come without pain."

"How do you see this going? We text each other for a couple of days and then you leave for 6 months to the middle of the ocean. You come back stateside and we pick up with a few emailed quips. Do you think that seems logical or the basis for a friendship? I have a shitload of things I take care of every day. I revolve my world on trying to free innocent people. That seems a little more important than a forwarded cat video."

"I hate cats. I would never forward you a cat video."

She pulled her sunglasses down with her finger and peered over the top of them. "You know what I mean, smarty pants." She waited a moment and continued. "I'm terrified that I can't hold all of my shit together as it is, Logan. I go out with friends after work and wonder if this is the drink that will turn me in to my mother."

"You could never be your mother," Logan stated, but he knew the feeling of wanting to avoid the curse of a parent.

"I work for justice, and when I look at you, I'm reminded of how unfair life can be. You're a fighter pilot. You kill people for a living, and they give you a pat on the back and a discount at Legoland for your service."

"Kill people for a living? I think the phrase you're looking for is 'Defend the United States of America and protect your freedom'," Logan said with a smirk and Veronica rolled her eyes.

"You had a horrible childhood. Mine wasn't the greatest, either. But lots of people have fucked up childhoods. I've watched you beat people up, say horrible things, slip people drugs." Logan winced at her words. "When things don't go your way, you get pissed and hit someone or get drunk or high. And where do you wind up? At the top of the food chain for the US Navy."

"I know I've had a charmed life, Veronica," Logan admitted. 

"Yeah, while you get to act like a fool and never seem to have to face consequences for your stupid behavior, I fight like hell to get innocent people out of prison. People who committed no crime, no crime at all, and have been in prison for decades. Let me ask you something." Veronica paused. She was sure she was pissing him off. "How many of your fellow pilots are minorities or women?"

"I don't know. Not many. But I'm not to blame for that." 

"No you aren't to blame, but you could have chosen any profession. If you wanted to join the military, you could have been a file clerk. But you didn't. You went to the head of the fucking class. There are advantages white men, even white men who have spent years fucking up their lives and other people's lives, get that other people don't."

"I didn't do it for the prestige. I did it because I wanted to fly planes."

"Logan, you have enough money that you could have bought your own airline and flown any airplane you wanted. Your chosen profession gives you the opportunity to, literally, look down on other people." Veronica didn't know where all of this was coming from, but she didn't seem to be able to stop. "You get what you want. Now you want me back in your life and you think all you have to do is look at me in a certain way and I'll come running back to you, thankful for being given another chance. Fuck that. Sometimes we don't get everything we want in life."

"I know we both have good lives without needing each other, but I miss you. No one challenges me like you did. No one holds me accountable. Yeah, I have COs who are happy to chew my ass when I do something wrong, but I don't have a friend like you. I want someone, I want you, to keep me heading in the right direction."

Veronica turned away from Logan and saw the hotel shuttle sitting at the corner. "Shit. My ride's here. She stood up and grabbed her purse. She whirled past him and made it to the front door. As she turned to look at Logan, he wrapped his arms around her. "Thanks for breakfast and for dinner last night and the night before."

Logan pulled out of the hug and placed his forehead on hers. "You haunt me, Veronica Mars," he whispered. 

Veronica pulled herself away and walked into the hallway. She found the stairs and ran down them. When she was safely in the van, she finally exhaled.


	8. Chapter 8

The drive to Neptune was longer than she had planned, and she kept thinking back to Logan's last words to her. They rattled in her brain like the chorus of a song. She turned on the radio hoping she could drown out his words with her own singing. 

She found her way to her dad's place. She had only visited a few times since he had moved into the small house. She never thought of it as "home." It was the house where her dad lived since moving out of their apartment. Veronica's home was alone in her condo in Chicago. "Daddy dear, I'm here," Veronica rhymed in a sing-song style as she entered the front door. 

Keith had been sitting in his recliner and had seen Veronica bounding up the front stairs pulling her orange suitcase behind her. Their relationship had changed since she was a teenager. Since moving to Chicago, she had become distant, both figuratively and literally. He was proud of her career successes, but he wondered if she was happy with some of the choices she had made. "My favorite daughter," he said as he pulled her in for a hug. "How was the pampering in Carlsbad?" Keith didn't tell Veronica he knew Logan had a home there. 

"Do I look relaxed and fresh-faced?" Veronica turned her head from side to side and twirled around twice. "I am a new woman ready to take charge of any situation." 

"When aren't you ready to take charge of any situation?" Keith loved having Veronica in his house. They didn't see each other enough for his liking, but he knew some parents had no relationship with their grown children, so he was happy for what Veronica was able to give him. 

"I hope it's OK that I invited Mac and Wallace to come for lasagna. It'll have to be the vegetarian version since Mac still doesn't eat meat." Veronica looked at her dad with puppy dog eyes and pouted a little. "I told them you wouldn't mind."

"Just like old times with our home filled with the laughter of Veronica and her friends," Keith chuckled knowing there had been few, if any, of those times in their lives. 

Veronica walked past her dad and pulled her suitcase down the hall to the spare bedroom. She hated sleeping on the pull-out couch, but she didn't want to offend her dad by booking a hotel room. She didn't have the heart to tell him how uncomfortable that couch was. She looked around the room and realized how impersonal it was. There were no pictures of family or friends. It could have been a photo from a catalog. 

She walked back to the kitchen. "Who's ready to start making some lasagna?" Veronica tried to keep her visits with her dad as light as possible. They were together so rarely that she didn't see the point in tackling major issues. 

"I'll get you a knife so you can start on the tomatoes," Keith said. 

**********

Mac and Wallace were arriving from work, so they drove separately but pulled up in front of the house at almost the same moment. Veronica wondered if they had planned their arrival so neither would have to be alone with her. Mac showed up with a bottle of red wine and a 6-pack of beer while Wallace had a quart of ice cream. 

Veronica had taken her time setting the table and had cut flowers from the backyard to put in a vase. She hoped this meal would be less awkward than the one from the morning that was still filling her thoughts. Wallace spent much of the meal talking baseball statistics with Keith and how they should take in another game before the season ended. Mac and Veronica listened to their discussion but didn't add much to the conversation. Veronica cherished the delicious food and the ease of the night. 

After ice cream, Wallace had to leave to meet friends from work. "Next time you're going to be in Neptune, how about sending a text with a little more advanced warning?" he scolded her. "Are we still on for tomorrow night?" 

The wedding was an afternoon event, so Veronica had arranged for the three of them to meet at Mama Leone's for dinner. She hoped there would be drinks following the meal. "It's on like Donkey Kong, Papa Bear." 

Wallace frowned at her, but gave her a hug. "I'll see you tomorrow night. Text me if you're running late, otherwise I'll see you at Mama's." 

Mac asked if she could help with the dishes, but Keith said he would take care of them. Mac motioned for Veronica to join her outside. They walked out the front door and sat on the steps. Veronica pulled her knees up and hugged them to her chest. "What's up, Q?" 

"I'm just wondering why I received this text today?" Mac handed her phone to Veronica.

_I saw V but forgot to ask for her number. You have it? Send it my way. Thnx._

Veronica could see it was from Logan. Mac had an airplane emoticon next to his name. Veronica wondered what kind of shortcut represented her in Mac's world. She handed the phone back to Mac and shook her head. "So should I be more surprised that you saw Logan or that he's texting me to get your number?" 

"Here's the truth, Mac. I went to Carlsbad for a couple days of R&R and I ran into Dick and Logan. Random, right? Logan and I had dinner a couple of times and breakfast before I came back to Neptune." 

Mac raised an eyebrow when Veronica said the word "breakfast."

"No, no, no. It wasn't like that. We didn't have breakfast together following a night of passion. We just got together at his place and he made me breakfast before I left. Wait, that doesn't sound quite right either. Nothing happened."

"Why didn't you give him your number?" 

"I guess I forgot. I didn't have my phone turned on much while I was there. I had to leave quickly when my ride arrived." 

Mac studied her. "What's really going on, Veronica?"

"Really, I just happened to run into Dick and Logan in Carlsbad. Before you start making me feel guilty, why didn't you tell me you have coffee with Logan twice a year?" 

"I didn't tell you because I don't talk to Logan about you. So, I'm not going to talk to you about Logan. That's fair, isn't it? How was it seeing Logan again?"

"Awkward, awful, strange, comforting. All of the above. I may have said some things to him this morning that weren't terribly nice. In fact, I think I was pretty awful to him. Bitchy may be the word that needs to be inserted here. I'm not sure why I was so angry even after all these years." She was silent, but Mac didn't interrupt her. "Can you believe he's in the fucking navy?"

"Crazy, right? He's even shown up for coffee wearing his uniform. I must admit, he turns heads when we're together." 

"He said he wants us to be friends again. I don't know, Mac. It was always so much work to be together."

"That's because he won't let you dictate all the terms."

"What does that mean?"

"Come on, Veronica. You must have known weeks ago that you'd be in Neptune for Cliff's wedding. But you texted us two days before your arrival. Wallace and I scramble to change our plans so we can spend a few hours with you. It is, after all, a long holiday weekend and we do have lives. Here's what I can't figure out. Did you assume we wouldn't have plans, that we would immediately change for you, or that you were secretly hoping we wouldn't be available if you waited long enough to let us know you would here? We love you, Veronica, so we're happy to work you into our lives, but you're the one who decides when we see each other. We accept what you're willing or able to give us. That's what friends do for each other. But you also can't be surprised if things aren't as easy as they used to be." Mac took a deep breath and continued. "Logan's a good guy. He's worked hard to get his shit together. You need to think seriously about whether or not you want him in your life again. If you don't, then be honest with him. If you do, then you better be damn sure you're ready for the work involved."

Veronica wasn't used to Mac's directness. She felt horrified and embarrassed by the revelations she was forced to hear. "I'm selfish, aren't I?" Veronica realized. "Here I am preening around like I'm the great savior to mankind. Really, though, I only want to play the game if I get to set the rules. I'm sorry, Mac. I've been a shitty friend. What's worse is that I didn't realize I had been. You deserve a better best friend than me. I am so, so sorry."

"Well, you're my shitty friend, so stop saying such nasty things about yourself!" Mac smiled and stood up. "Think about what I said, and we'll talk tomorrow. I'll see you at dinner." She turned to get into her car. "Oh, what do you want me to do about this text?" 

"Would it put you in a terrible position if you just ignored it for awhile?"


	9. Chapter 9

Veronica woke up with an ache in her lower back. "Fucking couch," she said under her breath. If there was any chance she would start making more frequent trips to Neptune, she would have to find a way to convince her dad to get a different sleeping arrangement. 

Veronica made her way to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. She saw how the years since high school had added lines to her forehead and dark circles below her eyes. At one time, she thought the years added interest to her face. Now she thought she just looked old and tired. 

Keith was sitting at the counter with a newspaper and coffee. "Didn't you hear, you can get those things on your tablet these days?" 

"Coffee through my tablet? No kidding. How does that work?" Keith got up from his stool and poured Veronica a cup of coffee. "Still need cream in that coffee?"

Veronica nodded her head. "Mmmm, coffee."

"How did you think the evening went last night?" Keith thought Veronica had been quieter than usual. He didn't know it was possible for her to become more guarded than she had been the last few years. 

"While I left you with the dishes, Mac sat me down on the front porch and made me realize that I haven't been a great friend." She took a sip of her coffee and said, "Do you think I'm selfish, Dad?"

Keith smiled slowly at her. "Is my daughter selfish? If I say yes, does that mean I haven't done a good job of parenting? I would hate to implicate myself in this discussion. Do I need a lawyer present or should I just plead the fifth?" 

Veronica appreciated that he was trying to keep a tough conversation as light as possible. "Don't worry, dad. I'm not going to blame you for my many faults." 

"I think you've been through some rough things in your life. I have a feeling you haven't even told me some of the things you've experienced." He looked her in the eyes seriously. "Do I want to know everything?" Veronica shook her head and looked down at her coffee. "I think you've become private and guarded, even with me. I'm not sure selfish is the word a father would use to describe his daughter, so I'm going to go with reserved." 

"Reserve? Like I'm not in the starting line up any more?" Veronica laughed. "I don't know how it happened. When did I cut myself off from the people who love me?" 

"When you ran off to Chicago and never came back. I'm happy to spend my holidays with you in Chicago or any other place, but it's more than a little strange that you haven't spent a holiday here in Neptune in 10 years."

"Um, this is a holiday weekend. Labor Day, the great American holiday. Don't tell me that I don't save the big ones for you, Daddio!" 

"I appreciate any time you can give me, Veronica. I know how dedicated you are to your job and the people you help. I'm proud of what you do, and if that means I give up a few days of actual face time to virtual FaceTime, I'm a willing participant." 

"Ah, my dad is the best!" Veronica said and meant it. "I'll try to do better. I promise. Oh, how much time do I have before this big bash?"

"We need to head out in about an hour. We'll need to take 2 cars since you'll be leaving after the ceremony. I'm sorry you weren't invited to join in the big night out after the wedding. Susanna wanted it to be wedding party and family only." 

"Like I would want to spend Saturday night hanging out with old people!" Veronica kidded. "It's no problem. I'm meeting up with Mac and Wallace. We're going to Mama L's and then out for a drink. Don't worry if I'm out late."

"Wallace texted me after he left last night. He found tickets to the Padres game tomorrow. When are you leaving? I don't want to go if you'll still be here."

"My flight is around noon, so I'll probably leave by 9:00. I have to return the rental car before I get to the airport. Go on. Bond with the son you wished you had always had." Veronica turned and made her way back to the bedroom and scowled at the bed. "One more night, you torturous bastard," she said to the inanimate object. 

**********

Veronica and Keith met in the parking lot before going into the library. The guests had been asked to share a quote about love during the ceremony. Veronica's favorite poem was one from Margaret Atwood. _Longed for him. Got him. Shit._ Perfection in six words. However, Veronica knew that a wedding wasn't the best place to unveil this particular poetic preference. Instead, she looked to Ann Patchett, one of her favorite contemporary authors. Reading was one of the luxuries of her life. She devoured books, and was thankful for the public library near her home. "Do you have the quote you're going to read during the reception, Dad?" 

"The wedding party wasn't encouraged to give a reading. Perhaps they know us too well and don't trust us with a microphone. Did you find something appropriate?"

"I'm going with Ann Patchett. I try to read everything she writes, and I thought quoting Shakespeare or another English poet might be too unoriginal. I mean how many times can a person hear the words _How Do I Love Thee?_ without wanting to roll her eyes?"

"My daughter. Ever the romantic," Keith chuckled and gave her a quick hug. They walked into the library and made their way to the top floor with the banquet hall. There were white chairs set up in rows at one end and high tables with no chairs at the other end of the room, but there were few other signs of a wedding. Veronica noted how they could just as easily be at the library for a reading by a famous author. Keith left Veronica to find Cliff, and Veronica wandered the stacks until 5 minutes before the wedding was to begin. She knew very few people at the event, so she sat next to a stranger in the fourth row. 

The ceremony itself lasted only 10 minutes. Cliff and Susanna were married by a justice of the peace and gave each other a quick kiss. Guests were encouraged to leave their chairs and make their way to the bistro tables for appetizers and drinks. There was a notebook near the makeshift bar where guests could list their favorite charity, and the bride and groom would make a donation to it. Because they each had their own established lives, the bride and groom had requested no gifts. Veronica thought it was one of the nicest and most practical weddings she had attended.

Cliff made his way to the front of the room and took the microphone. "Susanna and I are so pleased that you were willing to spend part of your holiday weekend with us sharing in our joy. As most of you know, our lives are filled with books and dogs. We thought we'd celebrate those loves today. We will be donating to the local humane society, and we'd ask each of you to come up and inspire us with a quote from a favorite book or poem." 

Veronica listened as family and friends made their way to the front. It was the second person, Cliff's sister, who brought out the _How Do I Love Thee_ poem, and Veronica could not help but look at her father with a small smirk and eye roll. 

Veronica stepped up to the microphone and said, "Ann Patchett has brought hours of joy to my life both in the reading of her books and the anticipation of waiting for the next book to be released. Cliff and Susanna, I wish you joy and anticipation in your life together." She paused before starting. “ _There are always those perfect times with the people we love, those moments of joy and equality that sustain us later on...These moments are the foundation upon which we build the house that will shelter us into our final years, so that when love calls out, 'How far would you go for me?' you can look it in the eye and say truthfully, 'Farther than you would ever have thought was possible'._ " Veronica placed the microphone back in the holder and stood next to her father. Would she go farther than possible for anyone except her father? 

**********  
Dinner with Mac and Wallace was a blur of laughter and jokes. Veronica had gone to her Dad's house after the wedding and changed from her flowered maxi dress to her comfortable jeans and a t-shirt. After chicken parmesan and tiramisu, she wondered if she would have been better off leaving on the loose fitting dress. They split the check, and they walked across the street to the new bar, Oceanus. "Don't worry, Veronica," Mac said. "It's a hipster bar. We'll have to deal with lots of facial hair, but we won't bump into any former classmates."

Veronica wondered how Mac could still read her mind after all these years apart. There were two seats at the end of the bar, so Mac and Veronica hopped onto the stools. Wallace took off to one of the tables saying he had seen a friend. "You know that's his girlfriend at that table, right?" Mac asked. 

"Wallace has a girlfriend?" Veronica was astonished that she didn't have a clue about this news. Apparently, she had lost all of her detective skills and had proved, once again, that she was a shitty friend. "How did I not know this? Was that the "work friend" he was meeting after dinner last night?" Mac nodded at Veronica. "Fess up, Mac. Do you have a special someone in your life, too? Girlfriend? Boyfriend? No judgment."

Mac smirked at her. "No girlfriend, girlfriend. And with you, I think there's always at least a little bit of judgment!" 

"And do you want to answer the rest of the question I asked?"

"Well, I've been seeing this guy on and off, but it isn't serious. We just hang out and, you know, fool around a bit."

"Fool around? Does that mean you have a friend with benefits or you're just a booty call?"

"Who says I'm the booty call? Perhaps this strong, independent woman is doing the booty calling." Veronica put her hand up and they high-fived each other. "And can we please stop using the term booty call?" 

"Who's looking for a booty call?" a voice loomed behind them and suddenly their shoulders were wrapped in wide arms. "Ladies, I happen to be free if you need to indulge your booty call fantasies."

"Dick," Veronica panned. "So good to see you again." Veronica turned her head and said to Mac, "You promised me no pirates tonight." 

"Yo, I've got to get a picture of this." Dick took out his phone and went to snap a picture of the three of them together. Veronica and Mac instinctively put their heads down on the bar. The picture Dick texted to Logan was his blond mug surrounded by the tops of two heads. 

"Macster, I haven't seen you for awhile," Dick went on. "You're looking hot, girl." Veronica had to admit that Dick was right. Every time Veronica saw Mac she was more attractive than the last time they had met. It didn't seem fair to Veronica that she felt like she was getting older and Mac was getting better. 

"Are you buying drinks tonight, Dick," Mac flirted with Dick but winked at Veronica. "Because I'd love a double of their top-shelf whiskey neat. What about you, Veronica?"

"Moscow mule, if you're buying, Dick."

Dick waved his arms to get the attention of the bartender. "Top shelf whiskey neat, Moscow mule, and a Corona, dude." Dick handed the bartender his black card. "Start a tab, man. We're drinking all night." Veronica watched Mac giggle. The guy in the fedora next to Mac left his stool, and Dick sat down. 

"Have a seat, Dick," Mac said still laughing. 

"What's up, Macworld? You living in Neptune? Doesn't seem possible I wouldn't have seen your fine body if you were still hanging here."

"Nah, I'm living in Laguna. I work for Blizzard in Irvine," Mac replied. "Thanks for the compliments and the whiskey. Cheers."

They each took some of their drink before Dick started in again. "So, Ronnie, why have you been so hard on my man, Logan?" Mac could feel the tension rise from Veronica. "He said you chewed his ass and then didn't even give him your number. You got to be good to our brothers-in-arms, man. It's your patriotic duty." 

Veronica took another sip of her Moscow mule and was thankful she had alcohol to get her through another tough conversation. "Nothing against the United States military, Dick, but it was just an oversight about the phone number. No big deal. Just rushing out and didn't have a chance to give it to him. Really, it was no big deal."

"Why do you have to give him such a hard time? That guy has never gotten over you for some reason." Veronica snickered and drank more of her drink. She motioned for the bartender. 

"Yeah, I'm gonna need another one of these, and put it on his tab," she said as she pointed towards Dick. She turned to Dick and could see Mac was enjoying being in the middle of the conversation. "Logan has been over me for years, Dick. Until 3 days ago, we hadn't seen each other for 10 years. Are you trying to tell me that Logan's been pining away for me for the last decade?"

"You know he can get a piece of ass whenever he wants," Dick said sounding proud. "Especially when he's wearing his uniform. It's like a chick magnet." Mac laughed so hard she spit out some of her whiskey. "But if I have to hear your name come out of his mouth one more fucking time, I seriously think I'm going to drown him the next time we go surfing. What kind of a witchy spell did you put on that guy?"

"I think you meant to say bitchy, not witchy, Dick," Veronica deadpanned. 

"Hey, you said it, Ronnie, not me." Dick took a long drink of his beer and waved for another. "Seriously, though, Ronnie. Give the guy a break, would you? Would it really kill you to send him a text once in awhile? It's not like you're ever actually going to see him because he's floating on the ocean half his life and you live in like, what, some weird part of America."

"Chicago, Dick. It's called Chicago. It's the big city between San Francisco and New York. It's good to know I don't have to worry about you showing up unexpectedly on my doorstop." 

"Why anyone would live somewhere without a beach is beyond me."

"Chicago has a beach. Ever heard of Lake Michigan?"

"If you can't surf from it, it's not really a beach."

"I'm not sure Merriam-Webster would agree with you, but whatever you say, Dick." Veronica was amazed at how much easier it was to talk to Dick than it had been to talk to Logan. 

Dick turned to face Mac. "Blizzard, huh? So you got the latest version of _World of Warcraft_ you can give to me, Mackie?" 

"Yeah, I carry several copies of them in my purse at all times." She pulled out her small clutch barely big enough to hold a phone, keys, and wallet. "You buying the next round again, Dick?"

Veronica was surprised at how quickly the night went. When she looked at her phone, it was after midnight. She hadn't talked to Wallace since they arrived, but she wasn't sure she was seeing straight enough to pick him out from the other side of the room. "Shit. I've got to get home. I have to be up early to leave for the airport."

"Don't sweat it, Ronnie," Dick said. "Stay up all night and that way you don't have to worry about oversleeping." 

"Tempting as that sounds, I really do have to get home." She looked at Mac who didn't seem too anxious to leave. "You staying awhile?" Mac nodded, and Veronica gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I promise to be a better friend, Mac," she whispered in her ear. Mac kissed her back on her cheek.

"Ladies, maybe we should move this party to my place," Dick said as he watched the best friends part. Both Mac and Veronica rolled their eyes at Dick at the same time. 

"I'll say goodbye to Wallace and get a Lyft." Veronica walked past Dick. "As much as I can't believe I'm saying this, it was good to see you again, Dick." She gave him a pat on the back and a smile before walking towards Wallace's table. 

"See ya, Ronnie. Be nicer to Logan."

Veronica zigzagged her way to the table in the corner and came up behind Wallace. "Papa Bear, it's time for me to find the bed that fits just right." Wallace stood up and introduced his girlfriend to Veronica. "Nice to meet you." She was about to walk away when she turned to Wallace again. "Oh, and thanks for taking my dad to the game. He's really looking forward to it. You're a good guy and a great friend."

Veronica's phone beeped, and she went outside to meet her driver. Dredging up the past hadn't been as painful as she had thought it would be. She was sure the alcohol had helped and she thought again about being her mother's daughter.


	10. Chapter 10

Veronica's phone alarm went off at 7:30 and she could hear the shower running in the bathroom. She needed to pack, shower, and eat before leaving. Her head pounded and her back ached. She couldn't imagine anything worse than having to get on an airplane for 4 hours. She needed coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. She was sure she wasn't drunk any more, but she was definitely hung over. She started pulling out what she wanted to wear for the long flight, and she threw her other clothes into her suitcase. She looked at her yoga pants and knew they would be the most comfortable for the flight, but she grabbed her jeans and a t-shirt instead. 

After she finished in the shower, she dried her hair and brushed her teeth. She felt like she was moving in slow motion and was careful not to jolt her head. She didn't think her hands were steady enough to put on makeup and she couldn't even be bothered to throw her hair into a ponytail. She opened the cabinet above the sink and found some old-school aspirin and shoved two in her mouth wondering about the expiration date on the bottle. She dragged herself and her suitcase to the kitchen. 

"Want me to make you some breakfast?" Keith said quietly. Veronica closed her eyes and tried not to heave at the thought of runny eggs. 

"Coffee. Just coffee."

"Did you have a fun night?" Keith asked while pouring her a cup. "I heard you come in after midnight."

"It was good, but I wish I could stay another day to recuperate. How was your night?" Veronica plopped down on a kitchen stool and rested her forehead in her hands. 

"It was a lovely evening of dancing and steaks. Cliff and Susanna seem so right for each other. It's nice to witness such love and devotion at their age. I guess that would be at my age, wouldn't it?"

"Don't worry, Pops. I'm sure love will find you just when you aren't looking for it. You could always try speed dating," Veronica kidded. "Of course, it might be pretty weird listening to all you old people groaning while getting out of your chairs to switch partners. You wouldn't know who was turned on and who had a broken hip." As much as she wanted her dad to be happy she was afraid that there would be less love for her if he decided to date again. "I hate to drink and run, but I've got to get a move on if I'm going to catch my flight." 

Keith pulled her suitcase to the car and Veronica opened the trunk. "I'll miss you, oh daughter of mine." Keith wrapped her in the kind of hug only a father can provide. "Travel safe and text me when you land." 

"Love you, Dad," Veronica proclaimed and jumped in the car. It was the first time she had left Keith's house anxious to return. She looked at the clock and was thankful she had time to stop at Starbucks before jumping on the 5 to the airport. 

**********

There was more traffic on the Sunday morning of a long holiday weekend than Veronica had anticipated. She tried to play by the rules established by the TSA to be at the airport 2 hours before her flight, but after dropping off her rental car, she saw it was already 10:45. She entered the airport taking the last swigs of her Starbucks and looked around for a waste basket. As she turned her head, she saw him sitting on a bench looking at her and her orange suitcase. She walked towards him. 

"What the hell are you doing here, Logan?" Veronica asked. "Don't tell me Dick murdered Mac after I left her sitting alone with him last night." She hoped she was joking, but she couldn't rule out the possibility. 

Logan laughed. "As far as I'm aware, Mac is peachy-keen." He stared at her and gave her a quick hug. "Can you sit and talk before you catch your flight?" 

"OK, but I'm running late, so I can't stay long. Seriously, Logan, what are you doing here? It's freaking me out a little bit."

"I wanted to see you one last time before you left. If you had told me you were going out with Dick last night, I would have met you in Neptune."

"We DID NOT go out with Dick last night," Veronica corrected. "Dick happened to be at the same bar. Random, I know. Who'd imagine that I'd run into Dick twice during the same vacation? I'm beginning to believe there is a darkness hovering above my aura." 

"I know it's crazy that I came here, but I wanted to get your number. I may have put Mac in the middle of this because I asked her for it." Logan looked away before staring back into her eyes. "This is a small airport. I knew I'd probably find you. Please, Veronica, give us a chance to be friends again. I need to be connected to you in some way. I don't want to leave for 6 months without being able to contact you. It's important to me."

"My dear friend, Cindy Mackenzie, was good enough to take me aside while I was in Neptune," Veronica said with both sarcasm and shame in her voice. "She persuaded me to look deeper into my soul, and she made me realize that I have been acting selfish with a side of sanctimony. Tough pill to swallow, let me tell you." 

Veronica hesitated a moment and then continued. "So, I want to apologize for my part in the conversation at breakfast when you were kind enough to invite me over. I said a lot of things I shouldn't have. I know what you do is important, and it wasn't right for me to question it." No matter how old she became, it was hard for Veronica to apologize. "I really am sorry, Logan. I don't know why I was so angry." Veronica thought about her clients wrongly imprisoned who seemed to be able to forgive much easier than she could. 

"Does this mean you're willing to give us another chance?" Logan looked hopeful. 

"Yeah, sure let's try it. Give me your phone and I'll add my number." Logan handed her his phone. "It's a 773 area code. I bet you don't have many of those in your contact list." Veronica looked at the time. "I really have to go, Logan, if I'm going to make my flight."

"Are you sure you can't stay another day? I'll pay the rebooking charge for your ticket."

"I'm pretty sure tomorrow's flights are full. That's why I'm leaving today."

"I could buy a ticket on your flight and fly to Chicago with you."

Veronica laughed. "You're crazy. And you have too much money if that is even a possibility you would consider."

Logan wrapped his arm around Veronica's shoulder and pulled out his phone again. "I've got to get a picture before you leave."

"Fuck no, Logan, I'm hung over as hell and look like shit."

"Hardly. You're as beautiful as you were when we were teenagers." 

Veronica moved closer into his embrace and put the side of her face on his chest. Logan documented the first step in this new phase in their relationship. "Logan, I have to go."

Logan stood in front of Veronica and looked down into her piercing blue eyes. His hands went to the sides of her throat and his thumbs rubbed her cheeks. He placed his forehead on hers and looked into her eyes for several seconds. He couldn't resist any longer. He kissed her lips gently before kissing more deeply. 

Veronica couldn't remember the last time she had felt such desire run through her body. She was lightheaded but didn't think it was because she has hung over. Logan stepped back and looked at her. She still had her eyes closed but said, "Give me a minute before you say anything. I need to get my brain working again." 

Logan laughed and pulled her in to his embrace one more time. Veronica opened her eyes and said, "I thought you wanted to be friends. I don't kiss any of my friends like that. Do you?"

"Only you, Veronica. It's only ever been you."

Veronica gazed at him before reluctantly joining the security line. She couldn't remember where she had put her boarding pass or her driver's license. She looked back to where Logan had been standing. He was gone, but Veronica knew he hadn't left her. 

**********

Veronica slept most of the flight back to Chicago. She kept her head against the window and stretched her legs out since the seat next to her was vacant. She didn't remember dreaming, but she woke up thinking about Logan and their kiss. She already longed to feel that good again. 

When they arrived at the gate, Veronica turned on her phone and sent her dad a text. She looked at her arriving texts. There was a recent one from Logan. She wondered if he had tracked her flight and knew when she had arrived. 

_Parting is such sweet sorrow..._

Shakespeare? I didn't know you had it in to

recite Shakespeare.

_He gives good quote._

Yeah, he does. Did I tell you the

passage I read at Cliff's wedding was

from Ann Patchett. Do you read her?

_I'll put something on my tablet_  
 _by her before I deploy. Suggestions?_

Are we the only people left in the

world who use complete sentences

and words while texting?

_PROLLY_

LOL

_Trip to Chicago in March sounds nice._  
 _Can you make time for me?_

I'll pencil you in for St. Patrick's Day.

You can watch the river being dyed green.

_It's a date._

You mean it's 2 old friends getting

together to rehash old times.

_Enough with the old._

We can celebrate Shakespeare

together on the Ides of March.

_Sounds a bit dangerous. You're_  
 _not planning to stab me, are you?_

Veronica made her way to the ground transportation center and waited to board the blue line. With her dependable Ventra card, she could take the el to the bus and be at her condo in 45 minutes. She was looking forward to going home. She'd check her work email when she arrived. It could wait another hour. 

She made her way to the top floor of the building and started pulling clothes out directly from the suitcase into the washing machine. No time like the present. She opened the refrigerator for some water, and turned on her phone again. 

_When I'm deployed, I can't rely on_  
_texting. Text me your email?_

First, it was my number and

now my email. I'm not going to

be put on some spam list, am I?

_I'm not sharing with any else._  
 _Skype?_

Sometimes. FaceTime?

_What I wouldn't give for some face time_  
 _with you right now._

You'll never change, you big flirt.

_Is it flirting if I mean it?_

What's 6 more months

after 10 years?

_Too long. I miss you already, Veronica._

Yeah, long time.

Maybe see you in March.

Be safe, Logan.

END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read my first attempt with this genre. I appreciate the many comments people left for me. Your comments have encouraged me to keep writing. I'm working on another story that takes place 6 months later in Chicago. As with this one, I want to finish the story before posting any of it. Thanks again for reading and enjoying.
> 
> (By the way, the Ann Patchett quote is from her book _This is the Story of a Happy Marriage_. All rights belong to her and all characters in this story belong to Rob Thomas.)
> 
> (I'm not a coder, so I apologize if the coding isn't right for the text messages in the last chapter.)


End file.
